Britain’s Direct Ruler in Ireland, Paul Murphy, was taken to
hospital today after falling ill at the annual conference of the
British Labour Party.

Mr Murphy had been due to address delegates this afternoon with
an update on the negotiations process in the North of Ireland.

Labour party sources said he had simply been taken “queasy” as
he sat with fellow Cabinet ministers during the British Prime
Minister’s keynote address.

Mr Murphy was given a heart scan before being taken to hospital.
Paramedics subsequently ruled out a cardiac problem but the
politician was detained in hospital for routine tests.

A spokesman for Mr Murphy said: “He was feeling unwell earlier
today and he felt a lot worse straight after the speech. He was
stretchered out as a routine procedure but everything is fine
now. It is categorically nothing to do with his heart. It was a
funny turn.”

Mr Murphy will deliver his speech later in the week, the
spokesman said.

PAISLEY ‘HEALED’

Meanwhile, Ian Paisley has hinted that he was close to death in
the run up to this month’s political talks at Leeds Castle --
but is now better.

The DUP leader wrote in the latest edition of his church
magazine that he had walked “along death’s shadows”.

His party had dismissed rumours that Mr Paisley was suffering
heart problems or cancer, and he had blamed “Romanists” in the
media for spreading lies about his health.

Writing in the Revivalist, the magazine of the Free Presbyterian
Church, Mr Paisley said he was now “wonderfully healed”. Despite
appearing frail at Leeds Castle, he said: “I’m not walking along
death’s shadows anymore. I feel absolutely great.”